


Dearest Nohrian Scum

by Manateequeem



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Denial, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn, Soup buddies, Ughhh this fic is my first multi chapter fic so expect a mess, sharing a futon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-09-27 23:00:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 16,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10055798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manateequeem/pseuds/Manateequeem
Summary: Oh sorry, I wasn’t specific enough, was I?”Insufferable. Truly insufferable.The blond boy frowned as the prickly prince in front of him smirked.Don’t say anything back. Don’t stoop to his level.“No, you weren’t, care to explain which ‘asshole prince' you were talking about?”Damn it.





	1. Damn it Corrin

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first take at a multi chapter fic. AAAAA. :00000.  
> I don't know how often I'll update, but let's go with once a week?

“Oh sorry, I wasn’t specific enough, was I?”

  
_Insufferable. Truly insufferable._

The blond boy frowned as the prickly prince in front of him smirked. 

_Don’t say anything back. Don’t stoop to his level._  
“No, you weren’t, care to explain which ‘asshole prince' you were talking about?”

  
_Damn it._

  
To Leo's surprise, the other boy’s smirk just deepened, as did his frown.

_This must be the most human interaction he’s had all day. That is the only explanation I have for his stupid grin._

  
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe the one who eats tomatoes as if they were fruit. Or perhaps the one who’s been acting rather chumpy with my younger sister."

  
_Chumpy? What in Anankos is chumpy meant to mean._

  
“Jealous, hm?”

  
At this the shorter male blushed deeply, and much to Leo’s chagrin looked like a tomato. _An especially good one at that._ Leo mentally scolded himself for that unnecessary thought.

_Bad. Bad Leo._

  
“Shut up.” 

  
And with that, the Hoshidan prince was gone, mumbling something incoherent about stupid Nohrians.

* * *

  
Later that same day, Leo had stopped the other second prince in the mess hall.

  
_Just my luck. I have to eat with a retarded pineapple._

For the second time that day, Leo mentally scolded himself for not bringing a book, because if he was forced to make conversation with that snarky prince, he would not restrain from attacking someone rather violently with Brynhildr. And the nearest person to him at that moment was Jakob, and Leo knew better than to mess with Jakob.

  
As Takumi got closer, Corrin did too, but Leo was too focused on the other prince that he did not even see the white haired dragon come up from behind him.

  
“Leo! What has my favourite little... Nohrian brother been up to?”

  
Leo was still staring at Takumi. 

_The nerve of him, he just walked straight past me!_

  
“So. You got the hots for Takumi, eh?”

  
Leo’s tomato juice practically sprayed out of his mouth, causing Sophie and Kana to sing about it’s resemblance to a fountain.

  
“What the actual hell Corrin?”

  
A faint “That is Lady Corrin to you” could be heard from Jakob's direction.

  
“She is my sister!”

  
_Now I’ve done it. I’ve messed with Jakob. And all because of that stupid asshole prince. Now I even sound like him. Well done me, you really are becoming trash. Ugh._

  
Today, Jakob was in a fairly good mood, so he let Leo off with a piercing glare which told him that if this happened again, well, it wouldn’t be very good for Nohr or Leo.

  
“Sister, would you care to explain what you are talking about?”

  
The girl smiled knowingly and tapped her nose twice.

  
“Don’t worry, I’ll only tell Niles. Bye~.”

  
She skipped away while Leo sat with his mouth open wide like a fish. After about 2 or so minutes he cried out that he did ‘not have the hots for any pineapples'.

* * *

  
On the other side of the mess hall was Takumi and his two retainers. Takumi was boring holes into Leo’s back with his gaze.

  
“Woah, milord calm down. What is going on with you and that guy?”

  
“Nohrians...”

  
“Oboro stop, your face is scaring Hana away! Aaand, she’s gone.”

  
“Quit moping, she wouldn’t have talked to you anyway.”

  
“I can dream can’t I, I mean look at Lord Takumi, he is staring at his crush with no restraint whatsoever. If milord can find love, so can I!”

  
This snapped Takumi out of his rage filled glaring.

  
“Who said anything about me liking that scum! I’m glaring! His attitude stinks, he has a stick up his ass, he isn’t attractive in any way!”

  
_Except maybe his auburn eyes. NO SHUT UP._

  
Hinata and Oboro were silent after the silver haired prince's sudden outburst.

  
“Um, okay...”

  
“Good, don’t forget that.”

  
_Interupting my glaring like that, how else will I hold my ground against him?_

  
He turned back to that same table to find that the other prince was gone from his spot.

  
_Ha. I must have won._

_I_ _scared him away._

  
There was a sense of disappointment in his stomach, but he chose to dismiss it.

  
“Come on, Oboro, Hinata, let’s get out of here.”

* * *

  
On their way out of the mess hall, Takumi had dismissed his retainers and carried on down the path to his tent. Everything was going smoothly, that was until he had inevitably bumped into Corrin.

  
“Ow, watch it next ti- Oh, Corrin.”

  
“Takumi! My favourite little...Hoshidan brother!”

  
“Oh, so I’m not above that Nohrian scum in terms of being your favourite little brother? Hmph, typical.”

  
“No, no always so touchy aren’t you? You’re both equal in my books, now give me some sugar.”

  
Before Takumi could reply she pulled him into a tight embrace. She held him like that for about 20 seconds before letting him go.

  
“What do you want from me, Corrin?”

  
“Whaaaat? Can’t I just embrace my little brother without being questioned for it? I’m just spreading the love!”

  
Takumi did not look convinced.  
She sighed, realising she could not fool the shorter boy.

  
“Fine then, I’ll tell ya, just let’s talk inside your tent, what I’m gonna tell you is some private stuff.”

* * *

  
The walk to his tent was uneventful and silent, save from Niles walking past and winking at Corrin, causing the girl to giggle and Takumi to feel greatly uncomfortable.

  
When they got to his tent, Corrin signalled for Takumi to sit down by pointing at a chair he had placed by the entrance.

  
“Corrin, this is my tent, and I’d thank you not to tell me where to sit.”

  
“Yeah, yeah, just sit down.”

  
He narrowed his eyes.  
“I’ll stand, thanks.”

  
At this, Corrin narrowed her eyes back.  
“No, I think you’ll need to sit down for this.”

  
_What on Earth is she about to tell me?_

  
He sat down anyway, and Corrin cheered internally for she managed to win against the stubborn prince, despite how petty a victory it was.

  
“Go on then, I have things to do.”

  
“Alright, patience and I’ll tell you. Gosh, I really don’t see what he sees in you.”

  
“Wait, what?"

  
“And that is why I have brought you here. My sources tell me that our dearest Prince Leo has a little crush on you.”

  
Takumi had a coughing fit for a while before recollecting himself and questioning life.

  
_Wait, what?_

  
“Wait, what?!”

  
“Fear not, he will tell you, in his own time.”

  
“No, that isn’t the problem here!”

  
“What is it then?”

  
“How are you so certain he likes me!?”

  
“Oh, I’ve seen the way he stares at you with those lustful eyes of his. You were made for each other!”

  
“But the thing is, I don’t like him like that, in fact, I don’t like him at all!”

  
_Or do I? I guess I’ve never really gotten to know him... And he doesn't look too bad either. NO TAKUMI, STOP RIGHT THERE._

  
Takumi blushed a deep shade of red.

  
“W-what, no! I’m just- H-he wouldn’t like me, we don’t talk enough, I mean-“

  
“Worry not dear brother. I’ll set you two up. Toodles~”

  
The girl with the long white hair skipped away humming a soft tune.

  
_What the hell have I gotten myself into._  



	2. Rash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo has a rash. Corrin has another genius idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually updated! Woo! Pray for Leo. Embarrassing times lay ahead for him.

The humid summer's air was not kind to Leo’s skin was, in Leo’s humble opinion, not even starting to describe the terrible acne the usually flawless prince had. Red spots peppered his fair skin and he simply groaned, cursing the 'temperate Hoshidan air'.

“Milord Leo, are you talking to yourself again.”

At this point, Leo whole heartedly believed the luck was not a real thing for him.

_So much for the devil’s own luck..._

As much as Leo was grateful for his tanned retainer, he didn’t care for his sass, especially at some God forsaken hour in the morning. It was a God forsaken hour to Leo, but 10 a.m. to the rest of the camp, who were all completely awake and making quite the noise outside. Leo had never been much of a morning person, and this morning he was particularly foul.

“Niles, I don’t think I’m willing to put up with your nonsense today, so I’ll do us both a favour and dismiss you for now.”

“Alright Milord, I'm coming in, don’t worry your pretty head.”

“Niles stop! I'm in no state for you to see me in!”

“Ooh, you been having some fun in there, Milord Leo?”

Leo blushed deeply while calling out exasperatedly to Niles “Wh- No! I’m warning you!”

Niles paid no heed to his warning and waltzed into his tent like it was no one’s business. At the sight of his usually calm and composed lord hunched over covering his face, the thief couldn’t help but burst out into sporadic fits of uncontainable laughter.

“Don’t look at me!”

“It’s not that ba-“ Niles inhaled deeply in an attempt to contain himself. “It isn’t so bad.”

“Really?”

Niles sniggered.

“Niles!”

At the sullen Prince’s exclamation, his other and more theatrical retainer walked in alongside Corrin, both of which curling over in laughter at their entrance.

* * *

 

“Really, it’s only funny because it’s you.”

“Gee, thanks Sister, that makes it so much better.”

“Perhaps I could work a hex on my Lord to heal him from his ailments!”

“No Odin, it’s just a rash, I’m not really used to this heat...”

_Not to mention I get horribly sunburnt. Oh God’s, no. Please, Gods in the heavens above, please make sure that no-one brings up that beach incident._

“Hey,”

“Are you about to say what I think you are?”

Niles smiled. “It’s just Odin and Corrin.”

“No.”

“Ooh, fiesty! I like it.”

“Don’t.”

“Tell us, my fellow noble retainer. QUENCH OUR THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE!”

“I'm telling them.”

_The Gods have failed me yet again_.

Niles pulled out several images of Leo from his beach adventures, in which he was horribly sunburnt and red. Everyone subconsciously questioned why he had those on hand.

To put it simply, Leo’s day was not off to a great start.

* * *

 

Takumi sat outside of the main assembly point glancing at a clock every few minutes.

_What the hell! I’ve literally been here for 2 hours! Where is Corrin!_

In truth, Takumi had only been waiting for 30 minutes, but he had waited nonetheless.

Corrin had called him there for an apparent ‘intervention’ for some members of the army who didn’t get along. So far, him, Jakob, Ryoma, Xander, Hinoka, Camilla and (much to everyone’s surprise) Elise and Sakura. The siblings of the different families had created an imaginary but clearly defined line between them, with Elise and Sakura as exceptions.

Jakob was a group of his own, but on occasion Takumi had silently agreed with some of his more outrageous remarks.

After some more awkwardly shared silence, Corrin, Niles and Leo had turned up, the latter wearing one of Corrin's broad-brimmed hats.

“I’m sorry we took some time to get here, Leo just had a few, um, skin problems.” Corrin announced.

_So I waited with this lot for 45 minutes because our vain little prince was too self conscious about his skin. Ridiculous._

Takumi, however, knew better than to say this aloud.

“That took you long enough...”

“Leo, you look absolutely darling in that hat!” Camilla felt the need to comment upon Leo’s hat as he slowly sat down, and Elise and Sakura nodded in agreement. Takumi narrowed his eyes at the blond boy.

_He is such an attention seeker, wearing that massive hat. Hmph, I might as well tell Corrin to forget what I said yesterday._

“Brother, you can take that hat off, we’re all friends here.”

“I don’t see you as my friend, Prince Xander.”

“Ryoma, at least try!”

“No brother, I’d rather not.”

“He looks stylish, Big Brother!”

“Lady Corrin, Lady Azura actually showed up.”

“Yay!”

“Stupid Nohrians.”

“Takumi, don’t join in!”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

“U-um.”

All havoc broke loose, as Niles tried to seduce Hinoka and broke an arm as a reply and Sakura and Corrin frantically tried to subdue everything which was unfolding around them.

At some point, some smaller fights emerged, with Leo and Takumi being right in the centre.

“You stupid Nohrian scum! If only you showed your face here on time this wouldn’t be happening! Unlike you, I had things to do!”

“Oh really, how long did it take you to come up with that one?”

“You insufferable-“

_That stupid hat._

Takumi pulled the hat off of Leo’s face, uncovering his rash, and all of the petty fights around them stood still and they looked at Leo.

“Um, big brother, you can borrow some of my skin cream if you want.”

“Shut up!” Leo called out embarrassedly, covering his already red face with both hands.

_Damn... He actually looks, hurt?_

Takumi started to feel bad, loathe as he did to admit it.

“Um, Leo. Uh, I’m sorry. I was. You kno-“

Leo snatched the hat away from Takumi's grasp and put it back on his head.

“Next time, mind your own business, worm.”

“Worm?!”

Takumi no longer felt bad.

* * *

 

“Thank you again Sakura, for healing up my skin.”

“N-no, it was the least I could do for my brother’s outrageous behaviour.”

Leo nodded, and thanked Sakura once more and went to go sit at the assembly point, where Corrin had those there for the intervention sat together in pairs.

“Leo! Just in time, you and Takumi will be ‘intervention buddies'! Go sit next to him, go on!”

Corrin winked at Takumi, as the two groaned, but still sat together.

_One fight is enough for a day._

So far, Ryoma and Xander were paired together, as well as Camilla and Hinoka, Niles and Jakob and Elise and Sakura. Azura stood on the side smiling.

“Right, from now on I expect you to get along with your appointed pair, as you’ll be spending most of your time with them, aside from your evenings which you will spend as usual in your individual tents. Any questions?”

She saw Takumi begin to open his mouth.

“Any questions which won’t piss me off?”

She smiled sickly sweet as Ryoma asked why Sakura and Elise were there.

“They’re setting an example.”

“Bullshit!”

“Why is Azura here?!”

“She is a mediator.”

“Honestly...”

“Alright, dismissed!”

Corrin winked once more at Takumi and he gave his silent prayers to whatever Gods were out there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Feedback please! More updates lie ahead, probably. Probably.


	3. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Leo in every case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I write this on my phone when I'm not playing breath of the wild, on the bus, or procrastinating. So either I'm on the bus a lot or procrastinating a lot. I'll let you pick. :))

“Ugh, why are you sitting next to me?”

  
“Honestly, how dense can you be? And I was told that you were the most intelligent of the siblings in Hoshido...”

  
“Wait, what! Who said that?”

  
Leo sighed, “Oboro.”

  
“Oh.”

  
Leo stood up from where he sat in the mess hall across from Takumi.

  
_I really cannot believe Corrin went through with this plan._

  
_“_ This is so stupid.”

  
“Talking to yourself, Prince Leo. Hm, it does make sense, I don’t know why anyone would want to speak with scum like you.”

  
Leo turned abruptly at Takumi, to find that the shorter prince was smirking.

  
Leo narrowed his eyes.

  
“I’m going to my tent.”

  
“Fine then. So am I.”

  
The two walked out in unison in the same direction.

  
Takumi continued to walk by Leo’s side even when they got to the fork in the road where he would have, on a regular day, turned left. Instead he went right with Leo.

  
“How long do you plan on following me, Prince Takumi?”

  
“I could ask you the same thing! Leave me be!”

  
“What the hell...”

 

* * *

 

 

After the ‘pleasant walk' the two shared, Leo was utterly baffled as to why Takumi was still with him.

  
“Alright, listen-“

  
“No you listen! Why are you outside my tent?!”

  
“Your tent?! This is clearly mine! See look, 162, my tent!”

  
“Mine is 163.”

  
“Damn it Corrin.”

  
“I’m asking her why my tent was moved next to scum like yours.”

  
And with that Takumi stormed off into the opposite direction from which he and Leo came.

 

_Idiot_.

  
“Wait, I’ll go with you!”

 

* * *

 

 

“CORRIN!”

Both younger Prince’s stormed into Corrin's tents with frowns and creased brows, as Corrin merely smiled at her younger brothers.

“Yes?”

  
“You know exactly why I’m here!”

  
“Why **we’re** here.” Leo corrected.

“Shut up, no one needs your opinion and smartass comments, scum.”

  
_So rude_.

  
But Takumi didn’t seem to hold any bite in his word, so Leo chose not to say anything.

  
Corrin sighed, “This” she gestured towards to two bickering boys, (or just Takumi) “is why I moved your tents closer together. You need to get a better understanding of each other and therefore spend more time together!”

  
“I won’t for the life of me be able to understand this scum even if I tried!”

  
“Some prodigy you are, scum.”

  
“Takumi, no backhand comments. Leo, contain the sass! Like I was saying, at this rate, you’ll kill each other quicker than our actual enemies. I don’t want to lose the war because of some stupid brothers of mine who can’t contain their bickering and affection!”

  
_Affection?_

  
“Wait, what?” both said in unison.

  
Corrin looked extremely flustered for a moment before she regained her composure and went back on topic.

  
“Nothing, nothing. Just know that it isn’t only you two who have had your tents moved, everyone else who is part of this, let’s call it a program, also lives adjacent to their peers, soon to be friends, or perhaps something more.”

  
Corrin giggled.

  
_What the hell is she on about?_

  
Takumi blushed profusely and asked Leo curtly to leave the tent for a moment, and so Leo did.

 

* * *

 

  
“Corrin, I don’t like him! Stop hinting at me liking him! Because I don’t.”

  
“But you literally told me that you liked him!”

  
“No I didn’t, stop twisting things! I just said that maybe he is attractive, but so is Jakob and I am in no way in love with that asshole!”

  
Somewhere in the camp Jakob could be found sneezing.

  
“But I recall some blushing mess that you became.”

  
“That nev- whatever Corrin, I’m not even going to bother. Goodbye.”

  
The silver haired prince then stepped outside of the tent to find that Leo was still there.

  
“Why the hell are you still here?”

  
“Ever heard of waiting? You mustn’t have, such polite actions must not be a thing in Hoshido.”

  
“S-shut up.”

 

* * *

 

 

When they both made it back to their tents they went into their own private sanctuary without any goodbyes.

  
“Ugh”

  
Takumi jumped backwards onto his futon and covered one eye.

  
“This is the worst.”

  
_I might as well go to sleep, I’ve had enough shit for one day, screw training, at least for today. At least I don’t have to share tents with Leo..._

  
And so Takumi feel into a deep slumber.  
That was until in the middle of the night, when he could hear heavy rain pouring down and wind practically blowing his tent up, someone was knocking at the door of his tent.

  
“Ughhh” Takumi groaned.

  
There was more repetitive knocking. 1 knock. 2 knocks. 3. Now it became bashing.

  
Takumi was quite the heavy sleeper when he actually fell asleep with no nightmares, so he simply turned over and covered his ears.

  
Now you could hear some muffled screams and bashing from outside.

  
“Mm- what the-“

  
Whatever was outside scrambled into Takumi’s tent, which caused the youngest prince of Hoshido to give out a high pitched squeek and the graphics the Fujin Yumi and repetitively bash whoever just came in over the head with it shouting out phrases like, ‘damn bushes', ‘curse you and Azama' and ‘fuuuuuuuuuu-‘ to name a few.

  
“Takumi! It’s me, Leo!”

  
“Wh- Leo?! Why are you in my tent?!”

  
“Oboro was moved into the process because of her apparent ‘animosity’ for most things Nohrian. Corrin claims to have run out of tents so she gave mine to Oboro and asked us to share, but Oboro would never share with Nohrian scum-“

  
“Heh.”

  
Leo glared.

  
“So I was kicked out in the rain and I now mean to ask you if I can stay here.”

  
“Why here, going to Xander's.”

  
“In case you didn’t realise, Corrin will have both of our asses if we aren’t next door to each other and the nearest tent will be another block away, so I request again, may I stay here?”

  
Takumi looked at the mess in front of him and took a moment to simply recognise how ridiculous a situation he was in.

  
The usually stuck up and aloof Nohrian prince had a terrible case of bed hair and was soaking from head to toes and was at the mercy of Takumi at the moment as to where he would be staying for as long as until they found another tent. It was too much. Takumi burst into laughter.

  
“Wh-what is so funny?! I asked a question!”

  
“Ha- you- you” there was a snort of laughter, “you’re soaking wet and asking for my help!”

  
“It isn’t funny.” Leo frowned and folded his arms.

  
Takumi’s expression went straight for a moment.

  
“Yes it is.”

  
He looked at Leo once more until even Leo burst into laughter, laying one hand onto Takumi’s shoulder for support.

  
“So-ha-stupid!”

  
“I-it is isn’t it!” laughed Leo.

  
_His smile is pretty._

  
Takumi then realised that he didn’t apologise to Leo for his earlier behaviour.

  
“Oh, and uh, sorry about being such an asshole earlier, Corrin just, um, pissed me off a bit.”

  
“I could say the exact same thing to you, I apologise, Prince Takumi.”

  
“Takumi.” He said “Takumi is fine.”

  
“Oh okay, Takumi.” Leo smiled.

  
_Maybe this won’t be so bad._

  
Takumi smiled back.

  
There was a faint sound of footsteps getting louder and closer until the tent door flap opened once again.

  
“Shut up, some of us are trying to sleep!”

Oboro angrily shouted out. She then spotted Takumi and blushed madly.

  
“Oh-oh except for you Prince Takumi, milord.” She bowed and hurried out.

  
“Nice retainer you got there.”

  
“Rich, coming from you. Come on,”

  
“Hm?”

  
“Let’s get you some fresh clothes and a futon.”

  
“Foo-ton?”

  
“Seems like I’ve got a lot to teach you, buddy.”

Takumi said as he threw a fresh black t-shirt and trousers at Leo.

  
“These are the only Nohrian clothes I have for today, but I guess they’ll do for tonight. You can get the rest of your stuff tomorrow.”

  
Leo still held out his hands.

  
Takumi looked down at them and then back at Leo.

  
“What?”

“A towel, perhaps? I’d rather not have a cold in the morning.”

  
“O-oh right, here.” He threw a towel at Leo and proceeded to lay out a futon for the taller boy.

  
Once the two were laying down in their futons the wished each other a goodnight. Takumi had fell back asleep extremely fast, so he didn’t hear Leo utter a quiet “thank you”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just find the idea of Leo in the rain to be funny.
> 
>  
> 
> I shall update again soon
> 
> Maybe, eh
> 
>  
> 
> Comments appreciated, thanks for reading!


	4. Jealous sneezing tomatoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think the chapter name says it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm on a roll with chapters
> 
>  
> 
> IM SO MOTIVATED
> 
> If only I was like this at school

“But, Leo when will we next meet!”

  
Leo smiled, for his red lover seemed to truly care for him.

  
“Don’t worry my dear, sweet Tomato, it won’t be too long until we next meet.”

  
Leo looked deeply into the flesh of his dear lover to find that this red flesh had been morphing into something else, something quite pale, it was sprouting silver hair from the top and was calling out for help.

  
“WHAT THE HELL, HELP ME!!”

  
“No, my sweet lover, I will save you...” Leo murdered half asleep.

  
Now Takumi was really blushing, and was completely red, causing the drowsy Nohrian to laugh breathlessly and reach in front of him and touch the flustered boy’s face.

  
“There you go, my love, you are back to normal again. I said I would fix everything...”

  
_But wait, my lover still has that long silver hair... Hm, it does suit them, those beautiful strands... Oh. OH. Shit._

  
“AAAAHHAHHHHH!” Leo screamed as he frantically drew his hand back from Takumi and Takumi also jumped back screaming as a response.

  
“Oh God’s Takumi, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what I was doing- I-“

  
“No, why are you in my room you creep!”

  
_Does he not remember last night?_

  
“I came here, last night? Do you remember yet?”

  
Takumi looked as if he was completely confused, until he had a sudden moment of epiphany.

  
“Oh! OOOH! I remember. But that still doesn’t excuse what you just did.”

  
Leo frowned, “Honestly, that wasn’t meant for you...”

  
Takumi felt a twang of jealousy within himself which he desperately tried to hide, for he was confused as to why it was there to begin with, but failed miserably.

  
“Then who was it for?”

  
_Shit shit shit. How can I tell him it was about a damn fruit?!_

  
“Uh, I don’t think you’d know them...”

  
Takumi looked unconvinced and he kept his gaze (glare) focussed on Leo.

  
“Really, it’s-“

  
He was still unconvinced.

  
“No, you can’t draw it out of me, Prince Takumi.”

  
Takumi looked hurt for a moment by the formal way he was back to being addressed by, but quickly wiped any trace of sadness on his face back to anger.

  
“Yes you do, I’m letting you stay in my tent!”

  
_Touché_.

  
“Fine, I’ll tell you!”

  
“Heh.”

  
“It was about a tomato, there! Are you happy now!”

  
Leo had a pout about his lips and crossed his arms like a child with a glaring blush on his cheeks.

  
Takumi looked like a blank slate.

  
_Now he thinks I’m a freak. Great, you outdid yourself again Leo._

  
Takumi started laughing, a laugh which Leo found oddly attractive, and was drawn into laughter once again by the contagious giggle.

  
“That’s kind of cute.”

  
_Cute?_

  
Leo and Takumi both blushed as the latter quickly covered his mouth.

  
“Um, I meant quirky, no I meant, you know, funny, it’s a good qual-“

  
“Just a slip of the tongue, Takumi, just a slip of the tongue I assume?”

  
“Y-yeah, that’s what it was... A slip of the tongue.”

  
“Well anyway, all embarrassment aside I should go collect my things from my old tent, and then perhaps you’d join me in the mess hall for breakfast?”

  
“Well, we had to go there anyway, even if you didn’t invite me. Corrin has told all of us to meet her there.”

  
“Oh let me be a gentleman, at least I’m trying,” Leo waved a hand as he spoke, smiling “I’ll see you later then.”

  
“Alright, bye.”

  
Takumi smiled back.

 

* * *

 

 

As Leo was walked into his old tent, he was surprised that it wasn’t only Oboro there, but Niles and Jakob too.

  
_All of the loud, obnoxious and aggressive people in one room. Great._

  
Leo planned to let out a small cough to let everyone know of his visit, but instead he opted against it, and chose to listen in.

  
“Honestly Niles, Oboro, I heard Lady Corrin saying that this program of hers is just a grand scheme for her to get one of her siblings engaged to a royal of the opposite family. She was talking to Felicia about it and I found it necessary to warn you two, for I do not yet know which of the royals she is trying to ‘get together'. Be on guard.”

  
“Aren’t you technically betraying Corrin by telling us this?”

  
“Ooh, little Jakob’s gone rogue, who would’ve thought it?”

  
“No, no! I would never betray my lady, I just know that she must have let me hear for a reason so I would spread it.”

  
_What, I wonder which one of us she is trying to set up... Probably Camila and Hinoka! I must warn them! Hm... It is due time I made my entrance._

  
Leo coughed loudly and stepped into the tent.

  
Niles bowed, “Milord Leo, how long have you been there?”

  
“Oh, I just got here.”

  
Niles gave Leo a knowing glance before dropping the subject.

  
“Oboro, I came here to get my things.”

  
“Oh right, they’re in that corner. And I fixed up a few of your more ugly clothes. Namely all of them.”

  
“What did you do?”

  
Leo walked up to his bags to find that his plain clothing now had odd embroidery on them, and the majority of his clothing had disappeared.

  
“You left me with 3 shirts.”

  
“I’m sure Milord Takumi wouldn’t mind sharing.”

  
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind sharing something else.” Niles said suggestively.

  
“Scum!”

  
And then Niles and Oboro started fighting, with Jakob already having left by this point, so Leo followed his exampled and took what was left of his belongings and left sighing.

 

* * *

 

 

"I’m back.”

“Hi.”

  
Leo sneezed.

  
Leo sneezed again.

  
“Ugh, what is this...”

  
“Are you alright?”

  
Takumi put his book down and got up from where he was seated.

  
“Yeah, it’s just- ACHOO!”

  
Takumi held his hand against Leo’s forehead and shook his head.

  
“You have a fever, the rain must have got to you, here sit in my futon, I already put yours away.”

  
Takumi helped the sick Prince down and put his belongings on one side. He then headed for the exit.

  
“Where are you going?” Leo puzzled.

  
“I’m going to get you some food, what do you like?”

  
“Beef stew.”

  
“Oh. I like something similar to that, miso soup. Anyway, I’ll go tell Corrin that we can’t make it to the first session. I’ll be back.”  
Takumi then left, leaving Leo alone in his sheets.

  
“Mee-so...”

  
_Perhaps I’ll make him some next time._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! More fluff to come


	5. Cooking with Takumi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi cooks. Leo is sick.  
> Rain happens. That's all I guess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay another chapter.
> 
> I should be studying but damn it all I'm writing a fan fiction
> 
> Whatever. This is fun.  
> Enjoyyy

The weather was nice out, with an orange tinge to the blue and white hues of the sky. The grass was emerald and blowing along with the wind as Takumi followed the worn out, well used footpath up to the mess hall.

The walk there was fairly quiet with only one or two people stopping him along the way to say hello, but other than that, he got there fairly quickly with minimal interruptions.  
From an outsider's point of view, Takumi looked like he had somewhere to be and an ultimate goal to achieve with his brow furrowed, not that it usually wasn’t, but it was furrowed out of worry more so than anger. He also as a growing frown as he walked in to find that Niles was the only one in the kitchen.

  
Takumi had never been a fan of Niles, what with his flirtatious stares and ostentatious and yet subtle mannerisms. There was just something odd about him that Takumi couldn’t get his head around.

  
_If I just ignore him and get the ingredients for this stew, I should be fine. Just avoid confrontation._

  
“Ooh, Lord Takumi what brings you here?”

  
_Damn it, he noticed me. Just say you’re cooking for yourself. Avoid confrontation._

  
“Just cooking.”

  
“There is plenty of food prepared that you can help yourself to.”

  
“That is all your rank Nohrian food.”

  
“Oh? To me it looks like most of the ingredients you're picking up are Nohrian.”

Niles gestured towards the red meat and Nohrian vegetables which Takumi was currently gathering.

  
“Oh, I’m cooking for... a friend.”

  
“How generous of you, Prince Takumi. Well, I’ll leave you to it then, I’ll just be here, making sure that no-one hurts the fair Prince of Hoshido while he shows of his culinary prowess.”

  
_Culinary prowess. Who even says that?_

  
It then hit Takumi that he had no idea how to make a beef stew and was just going from what he knew of stews, and how they contained vegetables and a meat, which was beef in this case.

  
_I won’t have to ask Niles for help, will I?_

  
Takumi mulled over the thought of asking that creep for help before he was suddenly shocked out of his thoughts by the sultry voice from behind him.

  
“Need any help?”

  
“What, no. What gave you that idea?” the youngest Prince spluttered.

  
“Well, for starters, you’ve been standing there for the past five minutes doing nothing. I can’t watch a fellow war friend go through this. I might as well help, considering it is for my Lord Leo.”

  
_War buddy? Again , who even says that!_

  
“Why are you assuming it’s for Leo?”

  
“You are carrying the primary ingredients of a beef stew. No one loves a beef stew as much as Milord.”

  
“Oh.”

  
“It’s okay, you don’t have to ask, I’ll just help from the kindness of my heart. I’ll save you the embarrassment, at least for now.”

  
“Mm. Thanks.”

  
“It takes 3 and a half hours by the way, are you that committed to it?”

  
“I guess. Why not.”

  
He quickly glanced at a clock.

  
_It should be ready by 7. Perfect._

  
He was slightly surprised by how much he was doing for Leo, but was quickly drawn back into reality as Niles explained to him about stirring the rosemary in and simmering the vegetables.

 

* * *

 

  
In the end, they finished cooking at about half 7, so Takumi quickly thanked Niles and rushed out with the pot of stew. It was still quite hot, so Takumi prayed it would retain heat for the walk which would take about 20 minutes.

  
Takumi also came to the conclusion that Niles was not so bad, and in fact meant well, he just didn’t know how to go about it.

  
_He’s actually a lot like me, as much as I loathe to admit it, he just chooses to act as a pervert instead of an angry twelve year old. Did I just call myself an angry twelve year old?_

  
As rain started to drizzle, Takumi decided to quicken the pace, for Leo must have expected him back a while ago now.

  
He lifted his navy overcoat over the pot in an attempt of keeping it unsoiled from the rain.  
I sure did make a lot he thought as he felt his muscles begin to ache from the weight of the pot as he half walk-ran to his tent.

  
_Some shape I’m in for the middle of the war._

 

* * *

 

 

It was eight o' clock by the time he made it back and he silently cursed the rain for drenching his hair.

  
_I’ll have to wash it now. Ugh. I hope I don’t get sick from this._

  
“Leo, I’m back!”

  
He looked around his tent for Leo but couldn’t find the blond haired boy anywhere.

  
“Leo?”

  
“Yes?” he heard from behind him.

  
“Leo, where were you? And why were you in the rain, you’re sick!”

  
Takumi put the heavy pot on a table and rushed Leo back to his (Takumi’s) futon.

  
“Goodness, Takumi, really I was barely in the rain anyway, I just went to see Elise and my fever is starting to heal anyway.”

  
Leo sniffed the air.

  
“Mm, what is that delicious smell?”

  
“Oh, right. Beef stew, I made some. With extra tomato since you seemed so infatuated with them this morning.”

  
“Ugh don’t bring that up again. But I thank you for your generosity. Doesn’t it take four hours to make though?” Leo asked as he graciously accepted a bowl from Takumi.

  
“Well, three and a half to be exact.”

  
Leo tasted a spoonful.

  
“This is delicious! It is just like what I had back in the castle!”

  
“Heh, thanks. Niles helped perfect it. Well, he helped with all of it, I guess.” Takumi spoke sheepishly.

  
“You cooked. With Niles? I’m surprised, perhaps you’re more consistent than you originally came across as.”

  
“Oh shut up,” Takumi said as he sat down beside Leo with his bowl of soup.

  
“I haven’t actually tried it myself.”

  
“It really is delicious. Thank you again, with this I feel that my fever will disappear. I

wouldn’t mind you cooking for me everyday, Takumi” Leo smiled.

  
Takumi blushed as he imagined himself in an apron cooking for Leo. It was a very domesticated thing.

  
_Weird_.

 

* * *

 

 

After they both finished their meals they packed their bowls aside and Leo had declared himself cured to which Takumi agreed with as he measured the taller boy’s temperature to nod that it had definitely gone down.

  
Only after both of them had laid out their futons did Leo notice that Takumi was still quite damp and drying off with a towel.

  
“You know, from the looks of it you’ll be the one with a fever tomorrow. You really should take more care when you’re out in the rain.”

  
“Well I had to get the soup to you somehow.”

  
“That was very kind of you. Thank you. But I don’t want you getting sick for me.”

  
Takumi waved his hand “Oh, it’s fine, I’m practically immune to sickness.” Oh the irony.

  
“Whatever you say, my dear Prince...” Leo sighed satirically as he blew out the candle.

  
“Really, it’s fine, I’ll just have a hot shower tomorrow. Good night, Leo.”

  
“Good night, Takumi.”

 

* * *

 

 The next morning, Takumi woke with a fever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can a fever cure in a day?  
> Sure, let's say it's because of magic.
> 
> Please comment with some feedback! Thanks. Expect more updates on the horizon. Maybe with some baths. Oh the fluff that will come with it  
> Tbh I make all of this up on the spot. Haven't even written any of the next chapter so what am I even talking about
> 
> Also I was going to have Takumi drop the stew in this chapter but I'm such a weirdo so I would start worrying about how the food went to waste so I scrapped that idea
> 
> Also should I update less frequently but with longer chapters, or do you prefer this. Let me know fankz


	6. Ryoma and Xander kick off a fight borne from patriotic tendencies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the title of the chapter says.  
> Takumi is sick and Xander and Ryoma like to fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated again yay
> 
> I'm meant to be doing my art but WRITING IS SO MUCH MORE FUN

“No, I’m fine, it’s just a phase!”

  
_A phase. Who even calls a cold a phase?_

  
“No, you stay in bed, ad this time I’ll make you soup. What did you say you liked again, mee-so?”

  
Despite the sick boy’s sorry state his face lit up with a wide grin as he laughed at the Nohrian's poor pronunciation.

  
“Well, firstly, it’s called miso soup, and secondly no one but myself can make it like mother used to. I’ll just teach you some other time. Besides I made enough beef stew to last the whole camp a week.”

  
Leo nodded in agreement for Takumi did make a fair point that their was a damn lot of soup.

  
Despite this, he still frowned, for he felt that the Hoshidan did so much for him when he was sick and all he was doing was sitting there while Takumi suggested that they eat the soup that he made for breakfast.

  
“Why are you frowning, it’s just soup.” Takumi laughed.

  
Leo grew to adore hearing the sound of that laugh over the short time the had shared together since they became ‘friends’ of sorts. Since then they started playing chess and ‘show-gee’ together after they both found out that they had very similar interests. They even read the same novels on history, and Leo began to think that he had finally found a friend who he actually could bond over his interests with. Someone else with a quick wit. Someone else who could be described as anti-social, but in truth wanted nothing more than companionship. Ah, what a kindred soul.

“Well, the least I could do is make you breakfast.”

  
“Ha! The Prince of Nohr cooking eggs for the Prince of Hoshido. That would certainly be a sight!” Takumi’s stomach rumbled slightly, and he blushed, “Well, I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

  
Leo smiled brightly. A smile that Takumi seemed to admire greatly, so much in fact that it brought a smile to his own face.

  
“Good. Now you stay here and I will be back with breakfast. You do eat meat right?”

  
Takumi deadpanned for a moment, contemplating on whether Leo really was the brightest in Nohr as legend says.

  
“Leo, you do realise that I hunt for the majority of the meat in camp.”

  
This time, Leo found himself blushing.

  
“Oh, right.”

  
“And also, I’ll join you there, I’m not spending anymore time in this tent.”

  
“Alright then, let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

  
After the two left the tent, they were greeted by the very loud arguing of Xander and Ryoma.

  
“Listen, Prince Xander, I respect your decision to stay here a bit longer in the Astral Plain but we need to be getting a move on! This war will not fight itself.”

  
Ryoma crossed his arms moodily.

  
‘ _Much like a angry teenager'_ Leo thought as he glanced over at Takumi.

  
_It must run in the family._

  
“But Prince Ryoma, don’t you see? Our men still need to rest and we’ve barely even been here a week, give us a few more days and I’ll have the whole army in tip top standards!”

  
“My side of the army are fine, it’s you Nohrians who need to step up your game!”

  
At this Camilla came waltzing along the gravel pathway with a slight frown pulling down at her lips.

  
“Oh my, that was a rather nasty and unnecessary comment, don’t you think? Hm, Prince Ryoma?”

  
Leo was rather surprised at the outburst from the usually calm and respectful older Prince of Hoshido but was even more surprised that Takumi had said nothing about the matter.

 In truth, Takumi had sided with Xander, but not so much for the same reasons of letting people heal up but he was enjoying the carefree time he was spending with Leo. But he wouldn’t tell him that of course, he just hoped that this peace would last a bit longer if anything.

Takumi did break in eventually though when the matter was getting a bit out of hand and Xander made a few off hand comments on how Hoshidan say that Nohrians love battle but they’re the ones who can’t wait to fight.  
Takumi did break in eventually though when the matter was getting a bit out of hand and Xander made a few off hand comments on how Hoshidan say that Nohrians love battle but they’re the ones who can’t wait to fight the other.

  
“Woah, you didn’t have to bring our race into this!”

  
Xander looked at Leo like he was meant to defend Nohrians.

  
“Leo? Will you not side with us? Didn't they bring our race into it first?"

  
Leo gulped as he looked around to see that two separate sides were now forming and Leo, who wished for nothing more than breakfast had not chosen a side yet.

  
“Um, of course, brother.”

  
Takumi looked towards him with a frown but quickly turned away.

  
_Great, now I’m part of this pointless feud_.

  
Leo cautiously stepped next to Xander, but not before sparing another glance at Takumi, who had already tried away. He sighed miserably.

  
_Just as we were becoming friends..._

  
Soon after the arguments burst out again, and Leo just stood there awkwardly, for he did not want to pick sides, and was passionate about either. Besides, the argument was pointless.

  
Corrin seemed to have caught wind of the fight and quickly dispersed of it after saying something about rest being good but Ryoma was right. Something like that, was what Leo got.

  
“I’m sorry Corrin, perhaps we shouldn’t argue over such...”

  
“Stupid topics” Takumi cut in.

  
Xander and Ryoma both threw a glare at him and Leo quickly grabbed him by the wrist and led him towards the mess hall muttering something to the others about sickness and breakfast.

 

* * *

 

  
“Ugh, that was stupid. Now I’m sick and hungry.”

  
Leo nodded as Takumi sneezed.

  
“Now I’ll have to use disinfectant, great.”

  
“Ha, I don’t need your sass.”

  
“And Xander didn’t need Ryoma's.” Leo laughed.

  
Takumi stopped in his tracks and glared at Leo.

  
“I could say the same about Xander.”

  
“Um, okay.”

  
Takumi sat down at a table as Leo went into the kitchen and cooked some breakfast for the two of them.

  
When he went back to the mess hall, Takumi still had a very perturbed expression on his face and Leo couldn’t help but laugh sheepishly and quietly to himself.

  
“Um, breakfast.”

  
“Thanks.”

  
The two ate in silence and then went their separate ways after they finished.

  
_Geez. Maybe if I say sorry. Might as well have a bath._

  
Little did Leo know that Takumi was also heading to the bathhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading.  
> I like making things awkward


	7. Bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi and Leo bathe together. Fluff ensues. Maybe Takumi blushes some more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pi day was yesterday. I'm a maths nerd, I'll leave.
> 
> I want fluff but I also want angst. There might be some angst later in the story. Just a warning. Not yet though. Now is time for fluffy developing of feelings. Enjoy.

It was very misty. The mist was actually quite overbearing to Leo, because he literally couldn’t see anything in front of him.

 

_What the hell, how did the mist even get to be like this._

Because of the opaque nature of the mist, Leo didn’t see the edge of the ‘pool’ and fell in with a great force. On the way down he hit his nose on the side.

  
“Shit!”

  
_Ow_.

  
Things were spinning and he was pretty sure that his nose was bleeding heavily for he saw some sort of red liquid mixing in with the water, and becoming more and more diluted. The flow wouldn’t stop.

  
_Like a river._

  
“Ugh.”

  
Leo's vision started to clear as he grasped at his nose in a futile attempt to contain the blood flow. In front of him he saw a familiar young man with flowing silver hair frowning with his mother wide open and a dark blush adorning his face. If anything, Leo expected Takumi to laugh, because of his incredible failure in entering a bath, but instead he was blushing? Leo wondered whether the shorter male had some sort of sadistic fetish, but when he looked down, he realised that wasn’t the case.

  
_What is my life. Just end me._

  
Leo’s towel had fallen off.

  
“Um.”

  
Takumi frantically looked away while handing Leo his towel, unsure of what to say, after seeing the one who he shares a living space with completely exposed.

  
“Thanks.”

  
They sat there like that for a while, with Takumi looking away blushing and Leo just awkwardly holding his nose.

  
_I must look like some sort of pervert having a nosebleed after exposing myself._

  
When Takumi’s blush finally faded away, he spoke.

  
“Let’s not speak of this.”

  
“Thank you.”

  
In truth, Takumi didn’t want to bring the incident up again not because he held remorse for Leo, but instead because he didn’t want to have to think about or remember how attractive he found Leo.  
Takumi glanced up to find that Leo didn’t do a good job of hiding his nosebleed, because it was leaking into the water.

  
“Ew. I’m meant to be bathing, scum. Keep your Nohrian blood to yourself.”

  
“Really? Are we going back to this sort of petty thing, holding my lineage against me?”

  
“Ha! You hypocrite! You did the same earlier.”

  
“No. Xander and Ryoma did. We weren’t even involved!”

  
“Whatever you say.”

  
Leo narrowed his eyes.

  
_Fine, if that’s how he wants to play then I shall stoop just as low._

  
Leo splashed Takumi. He got him inside the mouth.

  
Leo knew it was petty, but damn it, it was a victory nonetheless.

  
Takumi splashed back full force, coughing out some of the water. Along the way, it became a small scale war of water, with the two laughing, differences seemingly resolved. Takumi was winning at the moment, and he now had Leo cornered, a spare towel in his hand, ready to attack.  
He took gradual steps forward and Leo hit the wall. He gulped, for Takumi was merely inches away. Their noses almost touched. Almost.

  
Leo held both hands up in a sign of surrender, and Takumi gave a victorious laugh, because he had won against the Nohrian Prince.

  
Leo also laughed, because now it wouldn’t be so awkward when they got back to their tent.

 

* * *

 

  
When they were changing back into their fresh clothes, Leo quietly cursed because had not only forgotten, but actually ran out of fresh clothes after Oboro had messed with them.

  
“Language, Leo.”

  
Leo sighed. He didn’t want to ask him.

  
“Hey, Takumi.”

  
“Hm?” Takumi turned around, drying his hair with another towel.

  
“Uh, how do I put this... Could I-?”

  
Takumi knew exactly what Leo was asking but decided to tease him a bit more.

  
“Speak up! I cant possibly hear what you want if you mutter like that!”

  
Leo gestured towards the spare yukata Takumi had by his side.

  
Takumi looked down at it and then back up at Leo.

  
“What? You think I should change?”

  
“You know very well what I want!”

  
“Oh, you want to borrow my clothes!”

  
“You don’t seem very sick anymore.” Leo pouted.

  
“I never said no, I just doubt you could put it on.”

  
“I-I could manage.”

  
“Ha! Like hell you can, you’ll probably just rip it!”

  
Takumi laughed at Leo, and Leo blushed bit said nothing in response because he knew that Takumi was probably right.

  
“I’ll help you, here. In fact, I’ll teach you, Oboro told me that you may need to borrow a few in the future. I don’t know why, or care that much to be honest.”

  
Takumi stepped forwards towards Leo, but in a much less predatory manner than earlier that day. Leo tensed slightly when Takumi helped to get the sleeves on and ghosted his hands over his skin.

  
“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you.”

  
Leo relaxed as Takumi finished up with a knot.

  
Takumi then undid the knot and Leo gave him a quizzical look.

  
“Um?”

  
“Now do it yourself.”

  
Little did Takumi know that Leo had paid him no attention. He had no clue how to even dress himself now.

Leo felt that he had reached a new level of incompetence.

  
Leo tried to put the yukata on but put it on backwards and even managed to get it inside out, with a rather impressive butterfly knot gracing the side. Sadly, that is not what he was aiming for.

  
Takumi gave him an expecting look.

  
Leo gave Takumi an expecting look.

  
Takumi sighed.

  
“Really?”

  
“Help?”

  
“Will this become a daily thing?”

  
“Until I can do it myself, maybe?”

  
Takumi just smiled slightly and helped Leo into the yukata, skilfully undoing the piece of work which Leo had created.

  
“You’re such a kid.”

  
Leo laughed and agreed. A laugh which Takumi smiled brightly at, shaking his head.  
Takumi sighed, for he was falling, and yet he couldn’t even see it coming.

  
Takumi led the way out so Leo couldn’t see the raging blush which coloured his cheeks.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Clothes sharing. True bonding right there  
> Leo is a goofy weirdo.  
> I tried to channel that part of me into him to accentuate his natural goofiness.


	8. Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff ensues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i wrote a brief plan for this fic, and it turns out that i really like angst. Enjoy the fluff while it lasts. It gets serious later

Takumi was worried.

  
It had been a week since the incident at the bath house and he had been noticing that he grew flustered over every little action of Leo's. He blushed as often as when the other smiled, and God’s forbid he has to help Leo into a yukata one more time, because Takumi did not know if he could actually handle it without spluttering and passing out in front of the blond.

  
It wasn’t infatuation, no. It wasn’t even a damn crush.

  
 _It’s just my stupid brain being stupid. Stupid_.

  
It sure as hell wasn’t love, he just happened to be smiling whenever the Nohrian was around, and he happened to be pink in the cheeks when the other sat closer to share a book.

Over time, people started to refer to them as best friends, and the two happily accepted it, but not without a twang of sadness in Takumi's heart every time someone said it.

 

* * *

 

“Takumi! Takumi, are you there?” Leo called out into the tent.

  
He scanned his brown eyes around the dark space, squinting half way through, because it was damn dark, and to no avail. Takumi was nowhere to be seen. He thought carefully of where the other boy would be, crossing out the mess hall, for he had just been there. Leo looked down at the pot of miso soup in his hands and sighed, for he feared that it would grow cold before Takumi returned home.

  
_Home?_

  
Leo thought about it some more, and realised that yes, this is what he thinks of home, this is what he wants to be home. It was oh so domestic, all of it, how the two royal families, once at war, grew to form bonds with each other and sit together at meals. The way in which Takumi and he would fight over books like an old married couple. Leo laughed at the thought of the two ever marrying, because of how disagreeable he thought of himself.

  
As Takumi walked into the tent, a pile of dusty books in hand, Leo brushed away the upcoming feelings of self-hatred and instead put the pot of soup down with a grunt and helped Takumi with the pile of books he was carrying.

  
“Thanks” Takumi grumbled as he put the heavy stack down.

  
“You seem quite tired, perhaps we still need to work on our physique.” Leo smiled.

  
“Ha! I’m strong as an ox, I think it is you who needs to work on your strength.” Takumi smiled back.

  
“Oh, on the contrary, I carried this rather heavy pot of soup here. Would you care for a bowl?”

  
Leo handed Takumi a bowl of miso soup as the other grinned ecstatically.

  
_I guess he really likes soup._

In truth Takumi was smiling because the one he held a fatal attraction for was in his presence.

Takumi practically wolfed it down saying something about it being really good, but Leo just stared into his amber eyes, getting lost in them. That was until Corrin came in, holding a stack of leaflets.

  
“Sorry to break you two lovebirds out of whatever you’re doing, but I just wanted to give you this leaflet. Bye!” And Corrin skipped away as fast as she came before the two could retot about the name she gave them.

  
“What is this?” Leo muttered as he picked up the leaflet, eyes quickly scanning the text on them.

  
“How did she get these made?” Takumi questioned, a moustache of soup forming above his lips.

  
Leo turned towards him and laughed, grabbing a tissue in the process.

  
“What? What?! Why are you stari- oh. OH. WIPE IT OFF THEN!” Takumi bellowed.

  
“Alright, alright.” Leo continued to laugh deeply at the goofiness of the prince before him, as he wiped the soup away. Takumi was blushing, due to embarrassment Leo guessed.

  
“I just really like soup.” Takumi murmured.  
Leo’s laugh died down as he patted Takumi’s back awkwardly albeit reassuringly.

  
“What does it say?”

  
They looked at the plum leaflet before them with strips of white on the side. There was a rather large font in the middle in red saying ‘War-Dance’.

  
Leo cringed, because from what he knew about his sister, she was holding another dance.

  
“Friday, at 7pm? This is a war, we’re not meant to be having a dance!”

  
“Apparently it will boost morale.”

  
“This is stupid.”

  
“Agreed.”

  
Takumi read the small text at the bottom. “It says to bring a date. What the hell.”

  
“I might not go.”

  
“Really?” Takumi looked towards Leo.

  
“Unless someone asks me, I guess.”

  
How Takumi wished he could find the courage to ask Leo now more than ever.  
Leo looked expectantly at Takumi.

  
“Yeah, me too.”

  
_Did he not get the hint._

  
“Yeah.”

  
“But how did she get this made?”

 

* * *

 

  
Later that night, Leo heard whimpering coming from Takumi’s side of the tent. These quiet whimpers soon became loud cries.  
Now, Leo liked his sleep. He valued his sleep very much, so he got up, because he want to know what damn thing was separating him and sleep.

  
Leo groggily walked over to Takumi, not before falling over a few times.

  
“Takumi.” He whispered.

  
“Takumi.”

  
He was now crouched next to Takumi and he looked closer. The Hoshidan prince had skin even paler than Leo, and he was sweating from his...Eyes.

  
_Wait, is he crying?_

  
“Takumi, are you alright?”

  
The other prince suddenly woke up, his fresh tears soaking into the pillow beneath his head.

  
Leo was unsure of what to do, so he drew Takumi’s form close to him, and held him in a warm embrace.

  
“It’s alright” he repeated this until Takumi calmed down.

  
He held him like this for some longer, before the smaller prince spoke up.

  
“I had a nightmare. We don’t win the war, everyone dies.”

  
Leo pulled away from Takumi and looked at his face. He looked terrified, and the bags under his eyes grew darker than they were before.

  
“Does this happen often?”

  
Takumi said nothing.

  
“Why didn’t you tell me?"

  
“I didn’t want you to think of me as weak.”

  
Leo sighed and joined Takumi in his futon, not letting go of the other boy.

  
“Are you staying here?”

  
This time Leo said nothing and stroked the other Prince’s head until he fell asleep. His face was so serene this time, he looked like he never had a nightmare before. Leo smiled, he wanted to see Takumi like this everyday.   
Leo quietly cursed before he fell asleep, for he feared he was too deeply in love with Takumi to escape.

 

* * *

 

  
The next night, Leo abandoned his futon again, and joined Takumi in his, and the latter had no complaints.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now they share a futon i guess
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!  
> Please leave some feedback


	9. Leo and Xander have a talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the title says, Leo goes to Xander for some romantic advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I have returned. I write this too much.

Leo scratched his head as he thought of a way to ask Takumi to go to this dance with him. He only had two days to go, and his situation was growing dire. Takumi would just not catch the hints. He tried to be subtle at first, but even then he expected Takumi to get it because he was meant to be bright.

  
_Maybe he isn’t socially bright. Like me._

  
Leo was walking along the path to his sibling's tents and was seriously considering asking them for advice. But discreetly of course. He thought against asking Camilla, for she would pry and probably make his life hell and he could say the same for Elise who would also probably spill the beans. He didn’t want that. He wanted a real confession of sorts, and a respectful one. He supposed that asking Xander was the only suitable option, because that meant that he would be allowed his privacy. Plus, Xander was married to Charlotte, supposedly happy with one kid, despite being in a relationship for just over a month. Leo sighed, for this was as good as advice he was going to get.

  
The journey to the other tents was a rather long and gruelling one which Leo would rather not walk on a usual day that is, but today, he prayed that it would go by slower. He wondered if Takumi even felt the same way and whether all of this would be for naught, but decided to stop so he wasn’t in tears when he showed up before the High Prince of Nohr.

  
Xander wasn’t especially scary, but Leo couldn’t help but feel inferior to him in every way. He knew his elder brother meant well, he really did, he just couldn’t suppress the extreme feelings of jealousy he felt whenever Xander was praised or even when he saw him alongside his wife, for Leo knew it would never be so simple for him to fall in love with someone so accepted, and of course, Leo fulfilled his own self made prophecy by falling in love with a Hoshidan male, the youngest Prince, known to be prickly, no less.  
Leo thought of how Takumi must have felt inferior to Ryoma in the same way then sighed heavily, for he was thinking of the other Prince far too much.

  
He could see the tent not too far into the distance with the couple and their son smiling happily. As Leo walked closer, he found that Ryoma was there too, playing with Siegbert like a normal uncle, like there wasn’t a war going on outside the walls of the astral plain. Leo prayed for a day in which peace like this would become the norm, and he and his family could live oh so domestically.

  
Xander caught sight of Leo and waved, rather flamboyantly and out of character, Leo mused inside his head. Leo gave a small wave back, one petty in comparison.  
As he approached, Siegbert came running towards him and Leo pet his head lovingly. He always had a soft spot for kids.

  
“You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you Siegbert,” Leo smiled “and you’ve seemed to have inherited Xander’s curls too.”

  
“I personally think he got them from me.” Charlotte said in a sweet, but not sickly anymore, voice.

  
Xander laughed heartily, “Ha, I know you curl your hair Charlotte. Keep dreaming, maybe one day your curls will be as lavishing as mine.”

  
“Oh you.” Charlotte said admiringly as she hit Xander’s arm.

  
Leo smiled, and unconsciously toyed with his own hair, dead straight and thin. He had been told from a young age that he had very feminine features with his ‘beautiful’ hair and long lashes, but it was in front of Xander that he truly felt that he was so feminine.

  
Siegbert latched onto Leo’s leg  and snapped him out of his thoughts as he tried to stand, and Leo looked down with love at the small child, lifting him into the air while the smaller giggled.

“You and Takumi are both exceptionally good with kids. I couldn’t even get this little guy to open up to me!” Ryoma commented with a genuine smile.

  
Whilst lifting Siegbert Leo turned with a smile, “It comes with practice, I suppose.”

  
_Takumi is good with kids? He sure doesn’t seem like it. Oh right. Takumi. That is why I am here._

Leo looked towards Xander who was in the middle of hugging Charlotte rather affectionately . Leo coughed and shuffled uncomfortably, drawing Xander out of his own world, and leaving Siegbert with Ryoma.

  
“Um, Brother, may I talk to you,” Leo started, waiting for Xander’s response, “in private.” He clarified.

  
“Oh, right. Of course Little Brother, come follow me.” Xander led Leo into his tent.

  
As Leo settled down on a chair across from Xander, Xander enquired what it was that Leo wanted to ask about.

  
“Now then, what is it that is worrying you?”

  
Leo swallowed.

  
_Here goes nothing._

  
“Well, you see, there is the dance which Corrin has set up for two days time and I wanted to bring someone.”

  
Leo paused to look at Xander’s reaction, who, much to his surprise looked dead serious.  
Leo coughed and continued, “I wish to be romantically involved with said person and would like to go with them, but they don’t seem to be getting the hints I throw at hi- them. Them.”

  
“You know,” Xander interrupted, “I don’t really mind what gender they are.”

  
“Oh. Well, they’re male. He's male."

  
Xander smiled, for his younger brother was finally opening up to him.

  
“And you decided to tell me this because?”

  
“Because you are in a relationship and I seem to be hopeless at this. I require your assistance.”

  
“Hm...”

  
Xander scratched his head in thought.

  
“How about you just ask them?”

  
“Ask him...?”

  
“Indeed, that is how I confessed to Charlotte. You just tell them that you like them.”

  
“I’ll... I’ll try that then. Thank you, Brother.”

  
Leo got up ready to leave, before Xander said one last thing.

  
“Tell Takumi I’ll see him at the dance with you.”

  
Leo blushed deeply and scampered out as Xander chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Let us root for Leo, so that he confesses to Takumi soon. Please write some feedback, I would be grateful byee


	10. Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drama ensues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was a bit late on this update because school, so I made it a bit longer. Enjoy the angst

_I’m going to do it. I’m going to tell him._

  
Leo had a resolve as he purposefully walked towards his and Takumi’s shared tent. He was quite sure he would find the other Prince there and was sure of himself that he would not cower away from his feelings and would confess. It seemed very out of character for the usually brooding Prince of Nohr to be parading around the camp, a vast grin spamming his features, but alas, this is what love had done to him. It rendered him a hopeless fool, in Nyx's wise words.

  
Now, he wasn’t exactly sure how he would go about it, in fact he didn’t have any plan whatsoever which was also very out of character, but he decided that if he was going to confess to the one he loved, it would be from the heart, and not pre-prepared. And sappy, another one of Nyx's world-acclaimed views.

  
At first his pace was steady, one with a certain beat to it, one which really made him seem like a one man band as he walked through the grassy fields, spurted on by the scent of pollen which may or may not have kicked off his allergies. But he started slowing down as the nerves set in, because God damn it, was he really going to confess or would he end up muttering nonsense and backing out.

  
The whole thing seemed so terribly surreal that Leo didn’t even realise it when he walked straight into Oboro.

 

* * *

 

  
Takumi was laying in his tent, staring up at the ‘ceiling’ of sorts, as he thought of a normal way to ask Leo out with him. A normal way.

  
Takumi sighed because he himself knew he was a blushing mess and was by no means normal. Little did the Hoshidan Prince know that there was in fact someone watching him in admiration. And to no one’s surprise, it was his faithful retainer.

  
Oboro had held feelings of love and admiration for her Lord for countless years and she finally saw a chance to confront her feelings with this dance. Oboro was by no means a dull girl, but by some freak accident, she hadn’t figured out that her Lord was rather infatuated with a certain blond.

  
She sighed again, as her Lord turned over.  
Unrequited love, how harsh you can be.

  
From all of the romance novels she and Nyx had shared she had figured out that the protagonist usually got their lover through lower means, namely jealousy. She had a plan to make her Lord love her, and she promptly set out on the road to find Leo.

 

* * *

 

 

Leo blinked.

_Oh, Oboro._

‘Sorry about that, I seemed to be lost in thought.” Leo stated sheepishly, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

  
“Oh, it is no trouble at all, in fact, I was here looking for you!”

  
Leo narrowed his eyes, for this girl could not possibly be Oboro, she was far to chirpy and her, looking for a Nohrian. No, this seemed very wrong.

  
“Um, okay?”

  
She smiled and continued, “Would you like to join me for the dance?"

  
Now that had Leo in a coughing fit.

  
“Sorry? What?”

  
“It’s exactly as I said, would you care to join me?”

  
_I can’t say no! But I want to! I don’t even like Oboro, she ruined all of my clothes and took my tent, and I thought I was obvious! Can’t she see I’m not interested!?_

  
“Oh and just so you know, I don’t like you like that, I just want Milord Takumi to become jealous, and finally fall in love with me.”

  
Leo was not amused. But he couldn’t say no, not when Kaden stood there watching over the whole ordeal. Kaden spread gossip. And Leo liked his reputation.

  
_Perhaps I can use this to my advantage..._

  
“Oh. Um, okay.”

  
“Great! I’ll see you then!”

  
As Oboro walked away, Leo sighed for he had gotten himself into one real mess.

  
Perhaps Takumi would become jealous of Oboro, and realise his undying love for me.

_Ugh, I’m far too hopeful._

  
Now Leo’s plan’s really were busted.

  
Kaden smiled, for this would make some good gossip.

 

* * *

 

  
Takumi still lay sprawled in his tent and when he heard from Kaden that Leo already had a date he closed his eyes and told himself that he would not go to the dance, for he had lost his chance, from his retainer no less.

  
_I suppose I had no hope to begin with, for Leo seems to be attracted to females._

Takumi wasn't surprised, for Ryoma told him for a young age that he would only struggle to find someone like him. Hoshido was too orthodox. It was too orthodox for someone like Takumi to be happy.

_Ryoma was right._

Takumi cried, when the rest of the world thought of him asleep, and when Leo eventually returned to the tent, with nothing to say, Takumi acted natural, or as natural as he could. Turns out that that wasn’t very natural, because Leo had caught onto it and when he asked Takumi what was wrong, Takumi had nothing to say, and he said the biggest lie he could have.

  
“I’m fine.”

  
Takumi left the tent that night and stayed with Hinata instead. Hinata didn’t ask any questions, he never did, and if Takumi asked to stay a night, he wouldn’t intrude, no, he wouldn’t intrude even if Takumi asked to stay for one more night, only until Friday. For Leo, those two days without Takumi until Friday couldn’t feel like anything longer.

 

* * *

 

  
On the day of the dance, Oboro turned up outside of Takumi’s tent, which was much more like Leo’s than anything, and called out for Leo.

  
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Leo called out from inside the tent.

  
Oboro was dressed in a simple white dress as she smiled at Leo who was wearing, to everyone’s surprise, a black shirt and trousers. She stood in her toes to look over Leo’s shoulder to find Takumi. Leo frowned.

  
“Takumi hasn’t been here for two days. I’ve only seen him in the mess hall, I don’t know what is wrong with him.”

  
“Oh.” Oboro coughed, for her plan wasn’t going as she wished and the night which she would have to share with Leo was looking duller by the moment.

  
“Perhaps he’ll show up at the dance later.”

  
“Okay.”

  
The two walked towards the Traveller's Square in silence.

 

* * *

 

When they arrived, the Square was packed with the entire army, with Xander and Charlotte dancing together in the middle.  
Leo sighed loudly, muttering something about lovebirds and stupid pineapples.  
He continued to mutter, so much that he didn’t even realise Corrin come up to him, or the fact that Oboro had disappeared from his side to go with Hana.

  
“Leo!”

  
“Sister, hello.” Leo greeted Corrin.

  
“Aw, c'mon loosen up! Where’s Takumi?”

  
“Oh, I haven’t seen him in a few days.” Leo frowned.

  
“Wait, he wasn’t your date?”

  
“Wh-No! I didn’t even get to ask him!”

  
Leo covered his mouth quickly for he may have spoken a bit too much.

  
“So you wanted to ask him?”

  
Leo sighed and pondered the situation.

  
_Well, I have nothing to lose._

  
Leo explained how Oboro had asked first, and how he couldn’t say no and as he spoke his words got messier and his tone became louder and then fluctuated and became quite and Corrin pulled him into a hug.

  
“Corrin, I don’t think he ever liked me.”

  
“He’ll turn up.”

  
“But he doesn’t like me.”

  
“He doesn’t.”

  
Tears started to form in the corners of Leo’s eyes and he cried into Corrin’s shoulder, savouring the comfort his sister could provide.

 

* * *

 

  
“Are you not going, Milord?”

  
Takumi looked away.

  
“No point.”

  
Hinata sighed, it was hard for him to see his Lord like this. It hurt. He wasn’t the smartest, but he knew that it was Oboro that caused this, and he wouldn't forgive her for it. The retainer's duty was to do whatever they could to help their Lord, not pine after them and ignore the ones that loved them. Hinata clenched his fists and continued to speak.

  
“He does like you Milord.”

  
Takumi made no comment on how Hinata knew who he was thinking about.

  
“He likes Oboro.”

  
“Milord, I can tell you this, they sure as hell don’t like each other.”

  
“Then why would they go to the dance!?” Takumi croaked as he turned around with his eyes filled with tears.

  
“Because Milord, they both liked you! Hell, they both still like you and are waiting for you! They want to make you jealous!” Now Hinata was yelling.

  
“Prove it!”

  
“Fine, I’ll bring Oboro and Leo here!” Hinata stormed out, his furious loyalty and his need for his Lord to be happy damning all sense of respect.

  
When Hinata was gone, Takumi went to the outskirts of the Astral Realm, taking only his Fujin Yumi.

 

* * *

 

  
“Oboro, Leo!” Hinata called out, to find that the dance had ended. There was just Leo sitting on a step with Corrin.

  
“He’ll be here, really.”

  
Leo sighed and got up in a rage.

  
“He won’t be here! This stupid dance ended two hours ago, and that proves it, he doesn’t care!”

  
Oboro could also be seen, crying her eyes out, because her Lord, simply put, didn’t give a damn about her.

 

Hinata had a scowl on his face as he spoke slowly.

  
“You know, jealousy will not attract Milord.”

  
All three of them looked towards Hinata.

  
“What the fuck would you know! You haven’t had your heart broken! You don’t know what it’s like when the person you love doesn’t care for you!”

  
Corrin widened her eyes, for Leo rarely swore, and this did nothing but proved his love for Takumi. It even hurt her, because it all seemed a bit tragic. She glanced at Oboro who was crying still. Someone would end up heartbroken, if not both.

  
“He does. And I know that feeling all too well." Hinata muttered as he spared a glance towards Oboro.

  
Leo frowned, like he was being mocked.

  
“You can’t prove anything, you can’t!” It came out as more of a hiss than a growl, but at the current time, Leo couldn’t care less about his reputation he tentatively cared for all of those years, he just wanted something to let his anger, his frustration out at. He didn’t care anymore.

  
“Just come with me! Milord cares for you! Just listen!”

  
Corrin looked over at Leo, she felt out of place, she felt like she made this happen. She didn’t plan on it going like this, she didn’t wanted to see both of her brothers heartbroken, and she didn’t want to see them become subject to yet another tragic romance in this God forsaken army she conjured up. She just wanted them to be happy.

  
Leo pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered a quiet “fine” and followed Hinata back to his tent.

 

* * *

 

  
They didn’t find Takumi there that night, and when Leo went back to his tent to again not find Takumi, he thought that maybe he would come back. But when Corrin announced the next morning that they were going out to fight Garon, and everyone was lining up, saying their good-byes to their families, perhaps for the last time, and Takumi wasn’t there, Leo lost faith and grabbed his armour standing next to Niles, waiting to leave, Byrnhildr in hand.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha. Ha.


	11. Retainer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi has his retainers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a quick update. My motivation is on and off. Enjoy!

The dear screeched in agony and pain as Takumi struck yet another luminous arrow, successfully hunting down his innocent prey. He did this often, when the anger and frustration became too much, he would go out to the outskirts and hunt. He’d been going now all morning, and no one came to get him, not even Hinata. He wished Leo would come find him, and take him back, but he was with Oboro now, he was happy, and Takumi couldn’t hate him for it. He couldn’t even hate Oboro for it, as much as we wanted to, because she just made Leo’s life so much easier than what it would be if by some freak chance he ended up with Takumi. Takumi knew Ryoma wouldn’t consent, he knew Hoshido wouldn’t consent.

  
But he wanted to be with Leo.

  
So what if his family rejected him. So what if he was exiled from Hoshido. He didn’t care, it would just prove they never cared for him. He knew that he could always go to Corrin, and she would embrace him with open arms, but of course it wouldn’t be so simple, for Takumi loved his family, and he didn’t want to leave them.

  
He also didn’t want to leave Leo.

  
He threw the ancient weapon onto the ground with no real force and pounded his fist onto a tree trunk, leaving red marks and scratches on his pale skin. He punched again, and again until his fists were bleeding and he was a sobbing mess. He didn’t want to live like this. He wanted to live with Leo.  
But he wouldn’t get up, he wouldn’t ruin things for Leo and his retainer, he wasn’t that terrible.

  
_I’m terrible._

  
He heard footsteps quickly approaching from behind and tried to wipe his tears away in a hurry and fluster to keep some respect but instead only smeared the blood on his fists onto his face.

“Milord.”

_Oboro._

“Milord Takumi.”

  
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” He turned around not wanting to show his face. He didn’t want her pity.

  
“N-no, I don’t!” She sounded like she was holding back tears and Takumi thought of it as utterly pathetic. It just reminded himself of what he was like.

  
“Don’t you have someone to be with!” Takumi shouted. Oboro was taken aback.

  
“N-no, what do you mean?”

  
_She is mocking me._

  
“Leo! I mean Leo! Shouldn’t you be out there with him, can’t you just leave me alone, haven’t you taken enough from me already?!”

  
It all clicked into place and Oboro could no longer see her Lord in pain like this. She wouldn’t be selfish anymore. She came here to tell him that Leo loved him, but more so because Hinata told her, he told her that this was her fault. In truth, she knew that Leo and Takumi were in love with each other but she still thought that their was a slither of hope that she could make her way in between them and win her Lord over. Only now did she see the error in her ways.

  
“No, we were never together, Milord! He loves you! He loves you so much!”

  
“Bullshit!”

  
They were both crying now.

  
“He does! Would I lie to you? I love you too much for that, Milord, I wouldn’t dream of it! I just want you both to be happy! Please!”

Oboro clapped her hands together in a plead and bowed to her Lord.

  
“Please.” She spoke in a small voice.

  
Takumi knew that Oboro always liked him. He also knew that she wouldn’t lie to him.

  
“Would you accept me for it?” he spoke quietly, uncertainly.

  
“Always! I’ll never leave your side!”

  
“Thank you.” Takumi spoke, as he picked up the Fujin Yumi and sprinted towards the centre of the Astral Plain.

  
Oboro was left there crying in the middle of the Dorset, heartbroken but smiling, for her Lord would be happy.

  
“It’s alright.” Hinata spoke as he came and sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace.  
It was platonic then, but he could work from there.

 

* * *

 

  
Takumi sprinted through the fields before he made it to his tent, it was completely isolated, all of Leo’s things packed up and gone. He ran to the mess hall to find it was no longer there, as well as the library and records hall. In fact, as Takumi looked around, the whole place was empty. There was no one there.  
He heard Niles from behind him.

  
“Prince Takumi!”

  
“Niles! Where is everyone?”

  
“You didn’t hear? We’re leaving now, to fight Garon! I came out here to find you!”

  
“Wait, is Leo there?”

  
“Yes. You’ve really broken his heart. I can lead you to him, grab your things.”

  
Takumi said nothing and did as he was told, following Niles along the path to the gates.

 

* * *

 

He could see familiar black armour and golden hair juxtaposing each other perfectly. He could see a frown on his face, a stark contrast from what he wanted to see. He could see his face light up as he approached.

  
“Leo! I’m sorry!”

  
“Takumi, y-you’re here! And don’t apologise, I’m sorry!”

  
From the corned of Niles' eye he could see Corrin smiling.

  
The two had their reunion interrupted when Corrin started speaking.

  
“Alright everyone, today, we march out!”

  
The army cheered, with Corrin, Ryoma, Xander and Charlotte leading the way.  
Takumi joined hands with Leo discreetly.

  
“Leo, I need to tell you something.” Takumi whispered.

  
Leo turned his head towards Takumi, showing the shorter his blush.

  
“Everyone, stay silent! We want stealth on our side!” Corrin called out.

  
“Tell me later.” Leo whispered back as he had to let Takumi’s hand go reluctantly as they split off into their two groups.

  
They smiled at each other.

  
They didn’t confess yet, but Takumi truly believed that they were getting somewhere.  
They matched out with pride, knowing that next time they saw each other, it would be together, on the battlefield.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, I'll bring the angst back eventually. Whenever I type Garon I want to type Ganon but it autocorrects to Gabon. The struggles of my life.


	12. Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo thinks about his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo, I have returned with a chapter, with more angst, no less.  
> I have been waiting anxiously for AO3 to finish doing whatever they were doing with maintenance or something to post.  
> Enjoy  
> Oh and also, I don't plan on following the actual revelations route with all the shit with Mikoto and Sumeragi, so I just plan on skipping all of that, because I cba with that stuff. It'll just be good ol' Garon and anankos. I really want to type Ganon.  
> Now you may read

The dark colours of Castle Krankenburg bleeding into the grey skin of Garon fit the atmosphere perfectly, in Leo’s humble opinion. They had been marching to the castle for a week now, and they had made it before the king after a long and excruciating journey, with casualties at every battle. The army’s morale was low, to say the least, what with the death of Silas, having Corrin in tears and the rest of the army praying for the kind soul. He didn't deserve to die. But the Nohrian knew that either way there would be pain and deaths. It couldn't be avoided, for as long as he was a Prince of a nation at war, he would have to pick a side. He didn’t want to kill his father, but as he watched his sister shouting something at his father, he wouldn’t disagree with her, after all his father had done. He couldn’t hear Corrin, no, all he could see was the anger and hatred in his father’s eyes. Distilled, onyx eyes. But he couldn’t stop himself from seeing past those loathing eyes, seeing the loving eyes his father had for him and his siblings, and when Corrin shouted for him to get ready, he clenched his fists and charged inwards, towards the throne and his father. He had to fight him. He would have to kill him.

  
His legs were moving but his brain was moving so much faster, the thoughts, the memories, all rushing through his head at an insane speed. He wouldn’t cry, he was too busy slaying the enemies before him, he was too busy using his legendary tome to sprout out deadly vines, murdering the enemies before him. He knew some of the men he was killing, they had families, they taught him when he was young, they played with him when he was lonely, when he felt that he had no one else who would even notice him. They were always there for him,and they held a certain sorrow and regret in their eyes. Leo knew that if these events went differently, perhaps they would have survived. But now he was killing them. Leo wouldn’t admit it, for his pride was too much and he wouldn't want Corrin to think he betrayed her, but he often wondered if he made the right decision. The right decision to join Corrin’s army. He knew that he would have to defeat all of his kin in Nohr eventually, but he didn’t think it would be so hard or it would come so soon.

* * *

 

  
Takumi frowned from amidst all of the Nohrian’s facing against him, shooting frantically and angrily with his Fujin Yumi. They killed his mother, they killed his father, but when he killed them and heard their cries, their undoubtedly _human_ cries, he didn’t feel like he was getting the vengeance he wanted, and when he saw Elise crying for the loss of one of the older soldiers, he felt that fighting this war just wasn’t worth it anymore.

  
After what seemed like a decade of endless killings, endless, pointless _murders_ , Corrin’s army had slayed all of the enemy albeit Ganon, leaving the evil King on the throne, grinning despite himself. Takumi watched as all of the Nohrian siblings ran to their father and practically begged for him to come back to them. Takumi saw Leo cry then, and he never hated the grey man more than he did at that moment.

  
When Garon smacked Camilla’s hand away, and then pushed violently pushed Elise back, simultaneously throwing slurs at Leo, Xander took it as a sign that their father was gone. Corrin wiped her tears away and held Yato close before she tore into her father’s flesh and let the crimson splash out, staining her pale hands.

  
It wasn’t a satisfying victory, but it was a victory nonetheless.

  
After the battle, the entire army knew of the fact that their battle was not yet over, and they had one last enemy to fight, but they stayed at the castle for a short time after. Everyone still hadn’t recover. Hell, Takumi still haven’t recovered from his mother’s death, so he could find it in himself to be impatient or even annoyed at the Nohrian siblings for holding them back.

  
_I wonder how Leo is_. Takumi was thinking of the blond boy as he attempted to clean the blood off his hands, but to no avail. _This will stain._ Takumi sighed, pushing his bangs out of his face with difficulty, the sweat holding the hair down and sticking it to his forehead. The battlefield smelt of a horrid mixture between sweat, salt, and just death. It was overpowering, but Takumi would not go inside to where the Nohrian siblings were. He didn’t want to intrude. So far he had only seen Xander since the battle finished, choking up slightly as Charlotte rubbed his back and soothed him. Now he really wondered how Leo was. With a groan of slight pain, Takumi stood up, holding his freshly bandaged arm and went to find Leo. He wasn’t in the main room, so he went to where he expected to find the Second Prince, the library, but thought that Leo would most certainly not go to books for a method of soothing his pain.

  
In the end, he found Leo solitary in the garden. Leo had always liked plants, and Takumi couldn’t help but admire the boy who soaked in the setting sun and contrasted so greatly to the dying plants surrounding him. But now wasn’t the time for that, Takumi just wanted to know that Leo was okay.

  
He sat down slowly beside the other boy and rested his hand on Leo’s.

  
“Hey,” He muttered, looking towards the tear streaked face of the one he loved, “It will be alright.”

  
Leo wiped his tears away and chuckled meekly, mockingly, “It’s embarrassing for you to see me like this. I must look pathetic.” He looked away, frowning, eyes glassy but refusing to spill anything.

  
“You can cry, I understand.”

  
Takumi held onto Leo’s hand harder now. His grip was tight and wanting.

  
“I just wanted there to be a day where father would feel some pride when he saw me. I didn’t want him to go thinking that even his children were failures. I just wanted him to accept me and _love me_ , like he used to. For Xander at least...”

_I love you._

  
Takumi took Leo into a hug and held him close.

  
“Yeah?”

  
Takumi felt a warm dampness on his shoulders and the quivering body of the boy he held.

  
“I just wish Elise could have seen him when he loved us.”

  
It came out as a croak, but Takumi couldn’t blame him. Takumi just wanted him to know that everything was okay, so he rubbed mellow circles on his back, in an attempt to soothe the fragile Prince.

  
When Leo calmed down he pulled back from Takumi and quietly spoke, “Do you think, if I didn’t side with Corrin, things would have ended up differently?”

  
“I couldn’t say.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay battlezzz  
> Please comment, it brings joy in the odd, and pathetic thing I call my life  
> Thanks for reading! :))


	13. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is um, depressing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahahaha....
> 
> This took a while, and I'm still not exactly happy with this chapter but I can't write action so meh
> 
> Enjoy

Leo frowned, the stench of blood, of sweat, and of death, it was all too much. The feel of the metal sword, rough against his smooth hands, it wasn’t familiar like Byrnhildr way, but battle called for varied weapons, something that would do good against low defence and high resistance. Leo was by no means the best with a sword, always overshadowed by his older and much stronger brother, Xander.

  
The war had gone on for far too long and this final battle was no exception as it too over-ran. People he knew were dying before him, all because of one stupid dragon. He gripped his sword harder and slashed at a Vallite soldier. If their terrified, painful screams wouldn’t give him nightmares, he didn’t know what would.

  
He could see Xander, Ryoma and Charlotte fighting valiantly together. Leo would never make as much of a difference as them, he was fighting alone. He wasn’t strong and he could barely wield this rusty sword of his. He felt remorse for the enemy, even when he had been taught not to for so long. When the real battle came, he was just afraid and hopeless. Nothing like Xander. Not even like Camilla or Elise. He was so weak.

  
It came as a flash, it was sudden, he heard a scream coming from the direction of Laslow and Kagero, where they were fighting, and when he saw the blood staining her clothes and the _dead, dead_ eyes she had, Leo knew that he could die. Takumi could die and he was _scared_. He hadn’t told him he loved him, and now he was going to die. He heard another cry from behind him, and turned around. Charlotte was dead. She was so, _hopelessly dead_ and Xander was screaming, crying for help, for someone to help her, to heal her but even Leo could see, she had left them. Xander shouted , he blamed Ryoma, said Ryoma didn’t save her, but Leo wasn’t listening, he was backing away, the tears forming in his eyes, he was screaming because _I'm really going to die aren’t I?_

  
It was a mess, his friends, his family, they were leaving him left and right and he was going to lose himself and then Takumi. Corrin was getting closer to Anankos, she was close to murdering him, but he kept coming back, he wouldn’t just die.

  
He wouldn’t just be killed, like he killed so many others.

  
Anankos slashed at Takumi’s arm, and the boy screamed out in pain and Leo cracked and ran towards the beast, Brynhildr by his side.

  
“Leo, wait!” Corrin called out, but he wouldn’t listen.

  
Corrin killed the beast, but not before it stabbed through Leo’s skin.

  
“Leo!” Takumi ran towards the other who was barely conscious.

  
“Takumi-“ He tried to reach out, but found that his arm would not move and his eyes were closing at an alarming rate. His eyes shut closed and he stopped hearing.

  
“L-Leo, don’t leave me! I love you too much for you to go!”

  
But Leo couldn’t hear him and he covered his mouth in disbelief because he confessed, but hated himself for it. Because why would he confess when the other was no longer there to hear him.

* * *

 

  
The war was over, yes, but at what caused. Hoshido and Nohr were at peace, but that was legally. Both kingdoms had lost far too many and they refused to talk to each other's kingdoms. Even Corrin couldn’t fix the voids left in the hearts of both kingdoms.

  
Takumi sat in his futon, at home. In Castle Shirasagi, it was his home, but it didn’t feel like it, and when he held Leo’s headband close to him and it smelt so , he didn’t think he would ever be at home again.

  
There was a knock at his door, and he wiped away his tears and placed the headband on the floor.

  
“Come in.”

It was Sakura, as she peeked in through the door.

  
“Um, B-Brother, Kagero's funeral will be starting soon. Please come down, Brother has been suffering.”

  
“Okay, I will.” Takumi sighed. Sakura had been crying since the war ended, her and Elise could no longer talk. She was lonely, and was more shy than before. But it wasn't shy as much as it was self hatred.

  
Sakura closed the door and left Takumi with his thoughts again. The silence was worse than the sound of the battlefield. The guilt that he was _alive_ hurt. The fact that Leo _wasn’t alive_ hurt. In truth, Takumi didn’t really know about how Leo was, he hadn’t seen him since the war, and Nohr and Hoshido weren’t on good terms so he prayed that he was, by some miracle, alive.

  
“I’m too hopeful for my own good...” he laughed to himself, as he got ready to go to yet another funeral.

* * *

 

  
“No, they can by no means come to my kingdom! My brother is paralysed because none of them could help him, because none of them saved him!” Xander shouted, eyes filled with deceit.

  
“Xander, it is not their fault! They care too! They lost too!” Corrin was shouting too.  
Leo had been paralysed for a good few months now, he couldn’t speak, he couldn’t move, all he could do was think and thinking was torture for him. He could still hear, hear his siblings argue and he could do nothing about it.

  
“Takumi cared for him, he still cares for him! Why can’t he see him!”

  
“Because I cared for Charlotte!” Xander was crying now, “And she’s dead because they couldn't protect her!"

  
“I cared for Silas and he is dead! You were there too! You didn't save her, you let her die!"

  
“She was pregnant! We lost our child, Siegbert lost his mother and I can’t run this kingdom alone, it’s crumbling Corrin... It’s crumbling!”

  
“Look, Xander. I’m sorry, but you can’t keep blaming them! Ryoma lost Kagero, but he didn’t blame Nohr, he didn’t blame Laslow who couldn’t save her, he didn’t even blame Laslow when he ran away!” She began to speak softly, “Look, we all lost someone, but we can start again. It all starts with friendship and acceptance. At least let me tell them that Leo is alive.”

  
Xander‘s frown was gone, but was replaced by tears.

  
“Fine, just. Don’t leave me too...” Xander spoke quietly, clutching Leo’s hand.

  
“Thank you.”

* * *

 

  
When Takumi got the letter that Leo was _alive_ he cried and cried and cried. He left that day, to Nohr.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading
> 
> THE FLUFF WILL RETURN IT WILLLL


	14. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated twice today because i was unhappy with the direction the story had taken, so I'm sorry if some plot points are rushed or even skipped but they wouldn't have been enjoyable to read anyway so yeah
> 
> My plan has been scrapped, and I think this story is going to end soon so thank you for reading so far
> 
> Enjoy

His legs were moving, and he felt himself getting up. His siblings were hugging him but he wanted to see Takumi. He sat in his room that night, with a good book by the candle light and he felt like things were coming together again, and maybe, just maybe, his life would go back to how it was. Corrin told him that Takumi was coming to see him. He would certainly tell the other of his love, he would not risk it again.

  
It took a few weeks, a few weeks of being alone, but Takumi did arrive.

  
“Leo!” Takumi smashed the door to Leo’s room open and Leo could swear he heard something break “You idiot, what were you thinking, running in like that like some sort of God damn hero! I’ve been so worried for you, hell, I thought you were dead!” Takumi ran up to Leo and pulled him into a tight embrace.

  
“Woah, woah! I’m alive aren’t I!?” Takumi’s behaviour wasn’t shocking as such, no he was used to his rashness, he just was a bit surprised was all as to why Takumi was crying.

  
“Um...” Leo looked away because he was not good in these sorts of situations and Takumi’s tears were staining his book. “My book. You’re getting it wet.”

  
Takumi narrowed his eyes and looked up to see Leo smiling, laughing in fact, and he loved that smile more than anything.

  
“You idiot.” Takumi lightly punched Leo’s arm, but there was no real hate in it, and the grin adorning his features was clear evidence for it.

  
“Ow, is. I’m still recovering you know?”  
They sat like that for a while, just holding each other. But it didn’t feel so hopeless because there was no war, there was no real threat that any one of them could die. And they had time, they now had time to confess. Both of them weren’t going anywhere.

  
That didn’t mean that Leo wasn’t a bit pissed off about his book though.

* * *

 

  
Takumi was still in his room when the sky grew dark and said something about a wedding. Leo wasn’t really listening, he was mostly just enjoying the moment, but he secretly hoped this wedding would be his and Takumi’s. Of course, it wasn’t, but a boy can dream can’t he?

  
“So yeah, Hinoka is getting married to Keaton apparently. Something about love or some crap like that but I feel like the court only really agreed because of creating ties with the Wolfskin and Nohr. Eh, I don’t know. Do you think you can come, it is kind of short notice and all, it’s next month, but we couldn’t really have told you because King Xander wasn’t exactly happy with us.”

  
“We will certainly attend, but would that not mean that we would have to leave as soon as possible?” Leo asked.

  
“Um, yeah, I guess.”

  
“You best go tell Brother then.”

  
Takumi mumbled something.

  
“Sorry, come again?”

  
Takumi mumbled something a bit louder, averting his eyes.

  
“I really can’t hear you Ta-“

  
“Will you come with me?!” Takumi rashly interrupted.

  
Now this, this was funny. Was Takumi afraid of Xander?

  
“Oh, is the little Prince of Hoshido too scared to go alone?” Leo smirked playfully.

  
“Wh-no! I’d just like some company is all.”

  
“Oh, how endearing.” Leo spoke in a sickly sweet voice as he pinched Takumi’s cheeks.

  
“Ugh, you’ve became Camilla.”

  
“Ha, thank you.” Leo snorted as he began to get up.

  
“Where are you going?”

  
“To Xander.” Leo spoke as he lent Takumi his hand, smiling.

* * *

 

  
Xander kindly refused the invite, claiming that the King couldn’t leave his kingdom, but Camilla and Elise happily agreed to join the two on their way to Hoshido.

  
It completely crossed the two's mind that they had not yet confessed to each other, and the carriage was far too public so the waited again for the right time. It would come eventually, it wasn’t like they hadn’t waited long enough already, surely another few days wouldn’t be too much.

* * *

 

  
Upon arrival in Hoshido, Leo was surprised to see that, despite the cold shoulder that Nohr turned to Hoshido, the bright Kingdom accepted Leo and his sisters with open arms.  
With Leo standing next to him, and the entire Kingdom smiling, Castle Shirasagi finally felt like a home again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay fluff
> 
> Thanks for reading, next chapter may be the last, I'm not sure yet 
> 
> Please write some feedback, because I'd really like to know if I am taking this story in a better direction :)
> 
> Also, sorry this chapter was a bit short, i just had to sort out this mess

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.  
> Comment please.  
> Takumi is a blushing mess.
> 
> :))


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